Systems employing numerous devices often require or otherwise benefit from the ability for these devices to communicate with one another. While each device may have its own purpose and responsibilities, they may need to transmit information to, and/or receive information from, other devices of the system. Device-to-device communication may be accomplished by wiring the devices together, and communicating via the wires. In more recent times more and more systems are employing wireless communication, which generally makes installation more convenient, and among other things provides greater flexibility and scalability.
Devices in a system, and especially systems involving one or more wireless devices, may join or leave the system or network. Devices can join a system when the system is initially installed, or afterwards. When devices join a system of networked devices, other devices may need to know about the joining device so that the devices know they can accept messages from the joining device, the devices know where and how to send messages to the joining device, etc. Therefore, at least some, and in some cases all the devices may maintain some record of the other devices accepted into the system.
At some time, a device in the system may need to be replaced. For example, if a device fails, it may need to be replaced. Devices may also be replaced in view of maintenance schedules, product upgrades, etc. In such a case, the device to be replaced is typically removed from the system. One or more other devices that were configured to communicate with the removed device must be notified of the device's removal, so that those other devices can expunge the removed device from its stored record of known or otherwise accepted devices. Further, the replacement device is physically added to the system, which ordinarily undergoes an enrollment process with other devices so that those other devices can recognize it. The removal process of the old device, and the inclusion process of the replacement device, are handled by the installer of the replacement device.
Installers currently must know how to remove a device from the system and conduct a procedure to logically remove that device from the system so that it is no longer viewed by other devices as an actively operative device. The installer must then also know how to add the replacement device, and conduct another procedure to logically add that device to the system so that the system now recognizes the replacement device. This requires installer training, consumes time, is complex, and increases the chances of faulty installation of the replacement device.
Accordingly, there is a need in the communications industry for a manner of effectively and efficiently replacing devices in a system of communicating devices. The present invention fulfills these and other needs, and offers other advantages over the prior art.